Before We Meet
by orchideouss
Summary: Kurt Hummel is fed up with not finding the Blaine Anderson his wrist tells him is his soul mate. One song later, Kurt finds himself in awe of a famous new artist who happens to have the same name as the one on his wrist. Originally a prompt on the GKM.
1. Chapter 1

**Before We Meet**

**Chapter 1**

Kurt fell backwards onto his small dorm bed and let out a sigh. His hands covered his face as he let his mind loosen up, his Pandora station helping ease the tension. Of course Jake would be just like the other boys. Of course his wrist held the name of some girl. Of course Kurt's efforts to find a boyfriend in this godforsaken college would always end unsuccessfully, just as they did in high school. He slid his hands down his face and glanced at his left wrist, the familiar name staring back at him.

_Blaine Anderson_

Kurt didn't have expectations to meet him right away. He knew the odds of finding Blaine were slim, and that most people didn't find their soul mate until their 30's. At first, this was a difficult concept for Kurt to grasp, but as time went on, Kurt simply longed for the attention and love of anyone, even if that meant they weren't perfect for him. Just once, he wanted the boy of his interests to return his feelings. Just once.

On his laptop on the desk next to him, a song that he had heard a few times before began playing on Pandora. Kurt didn't need this song right now. He needed songs that he could belt out and sing along with, not this slow ballad, all guitar and lyrics. He needed to get his mind off of Jake and every other boy who turned him down. He needed to dance, to lift his spirits. Just as he was sitting up, a few of the lyrics of the song he wanted to change caught his attention.

_Could I tell you you're all I need?_

_Could I tell you before we even meet?_

_This love is more than I've ever felt before. _

_Please wait for me, oh please, wait for me._

_I'll be by your side._

_Wait for me, oh please, wait for me…_

_I'll tell you…_

_I'll tell you…_

_This love is more than I've ever felt._

_Before we meet._

Kurt felt the pang in his chest as the guitar strummed one last time, finishing the song. How had he not listened to what this song was saying before? It was beautiful. The lyrics and the voice behind them left Kurt wanting more. Just as quickly as he was lulled into his trance, he was snapped out of it as an advertisement squawked out of his speakers, ruining the mood the song had put him in. He needed to hear that song again. Annoyed with the advertisement covering up the name of what he just heard, Kurt quickly opened a new tab and Googled the lyrics that stuck out to him the most, his fingers clumsy and typing the wrong letter often.

Kurt's breath caught in his throat at the results. Surely, his mind was just playing tricks on him. Every lyrics website listed the artist as Blaine Anderson. No, no, no, no. This was not right. As the next song began to play on Pandora, Kurt clicked back to view his history. Sure enough, there it was: "Before We Meet" by Blaine Anderson. Kurt went back to his Google search and clicked on the YouTube video of this artist, _Blaine FREAKING Anderson_, singing the song in a one of the New York radio station's studio booths for their listeners.

Kurt's mouth hung open as he watched this boy, all smiles and curls, play this song, his voice ringing out in the most perfect way. Kurt scolded himself for not paying attention the first few times he had heard this song. As Blaine finished, a smile plastered on his face, Kurt scrambled to play it again entranced by this boy in front of him. This is it. Kurt found Blaine Anderson, and he was absolutely, undoubtedly perfect. The play count on the video rose higher and higher as Kurt replayed the video again and again, not wanting to let go of Blaine.

Just as Kurt was smiling, contentment washing over him, his heart sank. Blaine was playing this on the RADIO, for heaven's sake! This meant Blaine was FAMOUS. Of course this was too good to be true. There is no way this Blaine Anderson was his soul mate. Blaine probably wasn't even gay! Kurt felt his disappointment wash over him. And even if he were gay, Blaine wouldn't give him the time of day. He's just another fan! What if Blaine was really just a snob? What if Blaine really was his soul mate, but fame had made Blaine impossible to date? Kurt's chest felt like it was going to cave in. Every rejection he faced had built him up. How many more could he take before he was done for good? Kurt looked at the boy on the screen in front of him and couldn't help the smile that turned up at the corners of his lips. The simple fact that his name matched the one that had been taunting him for so long on his wrist was enough. Kurt had to at least try.

Kurt opened iTunes and typed in "Before We Meet" into the store, quickly made his purchase and hit repeat, letting the music and the lyrics wash over him. He opened another new tab on Chrome and once again brought up Google.

_Blaine Anderson soul mate_

Kurt's tongue peaked out between his lips as he read the results. Wikipedia gave no help. Under the "Relationships" heading, the text was vague and very off-putting.

_ Blaine Anderson has no known relationship, nor is the name of his soul mate known. __[4]_

With a sigh, Kurt tried another approach. He went back to his Google results and clicked what appeared to be a video of an interview of him on Chelsea Lately. Kurt couldn't help the smile as it grew seeing Blaine. His hair was curly and wild, his smile was dazzling, and he was so incredibly humble. Kurt's heart tugged in his chest as he watched Blaine answer Chelsea's questions about his new album and his newfound fame with the most polite and courteous answers. This man enthralled Kurt more than any of his other hopeful companions did. _That's because he's your soul mate, dummy! _Kurt thought to himself, but quickly shook off the thought, not wanting his hopes to get crushed if this boy wasn't what he wanted him to be.

Through the interview, Kurt learned that Blaine was only 20 years old, grew up in Ohio, and was singing throughout his whole life. Kurt smiled at their similarities, which brought hope up in his mind that he fought back against as hard as he could. Finally, Chelsea got to the one question Kurt wanted the answer to.

"So tell me, bowties," Kurt giggled to himself as Blaine tugged at the bowtie around his neck, probably unaware he was doing it. "Who is the lucky gal that you're singing to?"

Blaine looked nervous. He bit his bottom lip and looked off stage for only a moment. Kurt wanted to squeeze him.

"Well, uh…" Blaine started, his hand tugging at his bowtie again. "I've had some young ladies throw themselves at me, claiming to be my soul mate, my name written on their wrists over the real name," Blaine nervously laughed. "And I'm not sure I want to go through that again. So, until I find my soul mate, that's going to be a secret." Blaine looked down at the sleeve covering his wrist as he finished and tugged it down further. He looked up and gave a genuine smile, silently apologizing for not giving her the dirt she was digging for.

Kurt sighed, shutting his laptop in frustration. He didn't learn anything he needed to know. This was going to be much more difficult than he thought. He got up from his desk and walked down the hall to the community bathrooms, the tune of "Before We Meet" echoing in his head. He wasn't giving up quite yet.

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**A/N: Hey guys! This is originally for a prompt at the GKM. This is just the first chapter in this story. I plan to make it fairly lengthy. As for the song Blaine is playing, I shamelessly stole it from a band called Camera Can't Lie. Check them out! They're really great. The song and the title of this story belong to them. Glee, of course, belongs to Fox. Thanks for reading! I'll work on getting the next chapters out as soon as possible!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Wow, wow, wow, you guys. Thank you so much for your support. You have no idea how much your encouragement helps me write (or maybe how quickly I got this second chapter done is an indication?). So again, thank you. I'm so glad you're all excited for this story, because I really am too. **

* * *

**Before We Meet**

**Chapter 2**

Blaine Anderson is many things. He is confident in his ability to charm the pants off of any man, woman, or child, he is happy with where his music career is going, and he is very lonely. He knew that he could easily use his newfound fame to find the Kurt Hummel on his wrist, but after the harsh reaction his parents had after he showed them the boy's name, he didn't want his career to be jeopardized by more closed-minded people. He was not ashamed of his sexual orientation, but he was not ready to have the whole world jump down his throat about it. It's better if no one knows yet, he often told himself.

Blaine had given up dating. The boys he dated in high school were too bland for his taste. The connection he longed for was never there. He wasn't in college long before he got his break, so he didn't get a chance to have a relationship. The few coffee dates he went on were full of forced smiles and sincere apologies for not wanting a second go at it. Fame, in the somewhat small dose he had of it, was intimidating already. He was both grateful and terrified of his fans.

The first time he heard his song on the radio, Blaine was ecstatic. The first time he had people singing along with the lyrics at a show, he was beaming. The first time someone launched herself at him, tearing at his clothes and attempting to get any souvenir off of him that she could, he was both baffled and petrified. Yes, fame was going to take some serious getting used to, but as long as it allowed him to do what he loved every single day, he wasn't going to complain.

•••

Kurt Hummel had exhausted his resources. He had watched every interview he could possibly find, scrolled through the archives of every Tumblr blog dedicated to the man of interest, and he had spent hours upon hours searching pictures, trying his hardest to catch the name on his wrist. With no avail, this is how Kurt found himself staring at his computer screen once more. With one final click, the screen shared a message that made his heart clench in anticipation, and his stomach drop with anxiety.

_Thank you for purchasing your ticket to see Blaine Anderson at the Bowery Ballroom for Saturday, April 12, 2014._

This is it. In a little less than three weeks, Kurt will being seeing Blaine in the flesh, and hopefully, get the information he has been seeking non-stop since he heard the beautiful voice. With an anxious smile, Kurt closed his laptop, and for the first time in a while, went to bed feeling excited, rather than frustrated.

•••

Kurt was panicking. How could he have been so stupid? Seeing Blaine was not something he was ready for yet. Kurt took a deep breath, attempting to calm his frayed nerves and took a spot at the bar near the back and sat down. No way was he wrestling the stupid little girls that would be squealing and shouting in his ear. Seeing him in the same room would be good enough…for now.

Kurt's anxiety only elevated as the time before the show passed. It's not like Blaine would know his name or anything, but knowing that he could possibly be seeing his soul mate in the flesh for the first time was nerve-wracking, to say the least. He drummed his fingernails down on the counter as he waited, his eyes constantly following the movement on stage. Only after what seemed like forever, did someone come out on stage. Kurt held his breath as the singer turned, his guitar swinging into place in his arms. Kurt's nerves shot even higher when he realized that the man preparing to serenade the crowd was definitely not Blaine Anderson.

"I'd like to thank you all for coming out. My name is Noah Elliott and I'll be singing a few songs for you guys. I hope you enjoy" The not-Blaine said. Kurt ground his teeth as his fingers clenched against the table. Of course there was an opening act. This only meant more waiting for Kurt, waiting he didn't have the patience for thanks to his raised anxiety level for the past three weeks. He had to take many deep breaths before he managed to get himself back to normal, opening his eyes when he heard the applause for the first song. Luckily, Noah was easy to listen to and had a very sincere voice.

It was during the first performance that Kurt realized how utterly ridiculous he was being. Of course everyone wanted Blaine to come out, of course they were all anxious to hear him and see him preform. Kurt is, and probably will remain, he realized, just another fan. With this sullen realization, he was able to calm his nerves significantly. He was just another fan here to see famous Blaine Anderson. Even if the name on his wrist haunted him and urged him to reach out, he sat back and decided to just support Noah and Blaine for being talented musicians.

The rest of Noah's set list went by fast. He politely thanked the crowd again for listening and bowed adorably as he made his exit. Kurt realized how lucky Noah's soul mate must be. He was simply adorable. It brought a smile to his face that quickly fell once he was reminded of his own soul mate situation.

After a few adjustments with the sound, the crowd lights dimmed and everyone fell quiet. Kurt's breath involuntarily caught in his breath again as he saw him. Blaine Anderson, the very one that was staring in every photo Kurt had been obsessing over for the past month, was up on stage. Kurt's left hand went up to his heart and gasped. He was even more adorable in person. His hair was wild, his eyes were big and sincere, and his clothes were oddly grandfather-ish, but looked so unbelievably perfect on him. His bowtie was maroon, matching his pants that ended at his ankles. His smile was captivating as he took a few bows, blowing kisses to the crowd as they hooped and hollered their excitement. Kurt's smile continued to grow as Blaine giggled—yes _giggled—_up on stage at the enthusiasm in front of him.

"Thank you guys so much. You have no idea how much it means to me that you all came out here tonight," Blaine gushed, looking beyond appreciative at his fans. "Let's have some fun tonight," he shouted, giving that breathtaking smile as he started out into a fast-paced song.

The crowd was eating him right up. Arms were swinging in the air, lyrics were being shouted along the music, and most importantly, Blaine was loving every minute of it. He often stopped singing at certain parts to allow the crowd to take over, his smile plastered on his face the whole time. The first song ended and the applause exploded, Kurt's applause lost in the mix of it all. Blaine bowed again, muttering an adorable thank you and started up on the next song.

Kurt was in awe. He watched the whole performance with his smile growing considerably with each beat. His toe was tapping along to the beat and his eyes were locked on Blaine, drinking in his every movement. Again, the crowd roared with appreciation as the song finished, and Blaine still looked shocked that these people were here to see him, even if he had done a considerable amount of touring prior to this show. Kurt felt the overwhelming urge to squeeze him again.

Blaine took a drink of water before he went back up to the microphone. He smiled at the crowd and waved at a fan whose hand was moving impossibly fast in the air, seeking his attention.

"I love you!" some nameless fan shouted from the crowd. Blaine blushed.

"I love you right back," he said with a smile, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

"I want your babies!" another, or possibly the same, fan shouted again. Kurt felt the jealousy rising in his chest. There was a roar of laughter, but Blaine blushed harder and gave a nervous chuckle.

"Okay, guys. I'm going to play the song you all want to hear. I wrote this song when I was feeling pretty lonely," Blaine started. There was a loud, sympathetic_ 'awww'_ from the crowd. Blaine smiled again, not quite reaching his eyes this time. "I'm in love with the idea of this one special person waiting for me. And once I meet them, I'm going to give them everything I have. But the best part of it is, I'm going to be patient for it. Love will happen when it happens for me, and I'm so excited for that day to come. I hope you all feel the same about the name on your wrist, too."

Kurt's mouth dropped again. Blaine was saying everything he thought of when the issue of soul mates came up. Blaine started the strumming to the song he was all too familiar with by now, and Kurt felt himself relax as the lyrics started. This song was so unbelievably perfect. Kurt silently wondered if it had the same effect on others, or if it was the name printed on his wrist that made the difference. As Blaine got into the chorus, Kurt knew this was it. He couldn't give up on this Blaine Anderson yet. Kurt felt it down to his bones. There was something special about Blaine, and damn it, he was going to get a chance to prove himself to the boy singing his heart out in front of him if it is the last thing he does.


	3. Chapter 3

**Before We Meet**

**Chapter 3**

The remainder of the show passed quickly. Blaine was mesmerizing to watch. He was so in his element, and it was obvious that he loved preforming for these people. Kurt could feel himself swoon. He no longer cared that he was stooping down to the level of the mindless girls pushing their way to the front. All he cared about was how perfect Blaine was. The way Blaine thanked the crowd after every single song, the way he blushed at the applause like it was the first time he had heard it, the way his smile never faltered from his face, proving how truly at home he was up on stage, they all proved his perfection to Kurt.

Before Kurt was ready for it, Blaine was saying his final thank-you's and blowing his last kisses out to his fans. Kurt's heart felt as though it weighed a million pounds as it sank to his stomach. When was he going to see this boy again? How could he possibly figure out if he was Blaine's soul mate? Kurt needed time, time that was slipping away from him as he watched Blaine turn off stage and give one final wave to the crowd.

Shit. There goes Kurt's one chance of happiness.

Before Kurt could comprehend what he was doing, he was darting off to the bathroom. Once he was in there, he looked at himself in the mirror, somewhat shocked at the morose reflection staring back at him. How did one boy manage to do this to him? The thought of losing one boy, someone he hasn't even met for Pete's sake, is tearing him apart. He took deep breaths, trying to calm himself down for yet another time tonight.

"What is this boy doing to me?" Kurt asked himself in the mirror, his mind still racing on what he could do to not lose him forever.

He knew he was running out of time. He couldn't stall in the bathroom any longer without missing Blaine completely. With a sigh and one last look in the mirror, he exited the bathroom, still no plan in his mind.

Kurt made his way through the venue, his heart stopping when he saw Blaine by the merchandise booth taking pictures and signing shirts for the fans he was too afraid to say no to. This was his chance. Kurt was going to march up there and wait in line, even if all he wanted to do was body-check these annoying little girls to get to the man he's been waiting for his whole life. He was the last in line, meaning he had to watch them all ogle over him before he would get his chance.

The line was slow. Blaine made sure each fan was happy before he sent them on his way. Most of the time, this meant multiple pictures, as well as multiple signatures. Just as Kurt was getting irritated, he remembered Blaine's own words from tonight, _"I'm going to be patient for it,"_ he had said right before he sang the song Kurt had fallen in love with, and damn it, if Blaine could be patient, so could he.

Kurt's eyes never left Blaine. He watched his every movement, his heart fluttering at every smile and every full belly laugh that came out of Blaine towards his fans. They way he was so eager to please them might have made him jealous at one point, but now he can't picture Blaine any other way. It made his chest swell.

Blaine had just finished taking a photo with the girl five people in front of Kurt in line when it happened. Blaine looked out at the line, assumingly assessing how much longer he would be out here, when his eyes caught Kurt's. Kurt stopped breathing. The screaming fans, the stench of sweat, the nerves he had been feeling all month leading up to this, they all fell away. The only thing in the world at that moment was Blaine and the overwhelming delight he felt at the connection. His heart was singing.

As quickly as the connection happened, his world shattered when some buff man, presumably Blaine's manager, announced that that was the final photo to be taken tonight. Kurt's eyes stayed on Blaine's, his eyes mirroring the panic growing in them from the other boy.

"Oh, come on Mike, there isn't that many left. Just let me meet the rest of these guys," Blaine told him without breaking eye contact with Kurt. Blaine felt it too, Kurt realized, a smile taking over his face at the realization. Blaine matched his smile and finally looked away, giving the attention that the next-in-line fan was huffing for.

Kurt's stomach was in knots by the time he was second in line. Blaine, as ever the perfect man, paid just the right amount of attention to each fan, always managing to catch Kurt's eye in-between. The fan in front of Kurt was very adamant about keeping all of Blaine's attention, however. She asked him to sign three shirts, her phone case, and her ticket stub. She asked for a picture, which Blaine of course agreed to, his arm around her shoulders and the smile crinkling his eyes.

"Thank you so much for coming out," he said, his voice sincere. She just smiled googly-eyed at him. Finally, her friend dragged her away, finally leaving no teenaged girl or her mother in front of Kurt and his soul mate. The connection he had felt earlier was back, this time stronger than before.

"Hello," Blaine said, his eyes boring into Kurt.

"H-Hi," Kurt squeaked out, mentally slapping himself for sounding so flakey.

"Would you like me to sign something?" Blaine asked, his voice much more calm than he had been with any of the previous fans. Kurt's stomach dropped. How could he have been so stupid? He had been so preoccupied with watching Blaine that he didn't know what he was doing now that it was his chance. Quickly, he fished in his pocket and withdrew the ticket stub, his shaking left hand offering it out to Blaine.

Blaine took the ticket and looked at Kurt closely, a smile turning up at the corner of his mouth.

"And what's your name?" Blaine asked. Kurt would have brushed it off as something he asked every fan to make out his signature to, but he knew better. He had been watching the interaction between him and his fans for too much of the line to know that Blaine hadn't asked a single other person what their name was. _He wants to confirm who you are,_ Kurt's brain screamed at him.

"K-Kurt," He stuttered out. "Kurt Hummel."

The reaction was instantaneous. The Sharpie in Blaine's hand dropped to the floor as he grabbed Kurt's outstretched wrist and yanked up the sleeve. Blaine's mouth dropped as he saw his name delicately written on Kurt's wrist. He gasped as his eyes, damp with what looked like unshed tears, looked back up at Kurt.

"I knew I'd find you," Blaine barely whispered. Quickly, he dropped Kurt's wrist and shyly offered his own wrist to Kurt, hiking up his wrist cuff to reveal the name he had kept secret for so long.

Kurt took one look at his own name scrawled across Blaine's flesh and felt all the blood leave his brain. _This wasn't happening_, he told himself. _This was too good to be true_, he scolded himself.

"Oh my god," Kurt murmured as he watched the corners of his vision fade to black.

"Kurt!" Blaine screamed as his newly found soul mate dropped to the floor.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading, guys! Your encouragement keeps me going!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Before We Meet**

**Chapter 4**

Kurt blinked his eyes rapidly as he took in his surroundings. The light around him was muted and the voices speaking in the background were hushed. Slowly, he sat up to find Blaine whisper-shouting at someone he couldn't see.

_Blaine!_

Suddenly, everything rushed back to him. He had shown Blaine his wrist, no, Blaine had grabbed his wrist to look, and Blaine had shown him his own wrist in return. Kurt's heart fluttered remembering the mirroring name peaking out under Blaine's wrist cuff. Then Kurt's face reddened as he remembered what happened next. He had fainted. He had fainted right in front of very attractive, very successful, very perfect Blaine Anderson. He groaned at the thought, closing his eyes again.

His noise must have alerted Blaine and the other man about his newly-regained consciousness because at once their hushed voices silenced.

"Just give me one minute with him," Kurt heard Blaine tell whoever was on the other side of the door. "Just one minute!" he heard again, Blaine's voice still quiet. The door shut and Kurt heard footsteps walking towards him. His heart sped up.

"Kurt," Blaine whispered, crouching down next to Kurt. "Are you alright?" He asked, his voice soft and sincere.

Kurt slowly opened his eyes and nodded softly, unable to find his voice while those big, hazel eyes were looking down on him.

"Okay, good. You passed out back there," Blaine chuckled nervously, his hand going up to scratch the curls at the back of his head. "Now I need you to tell me something," he said even quieter than before. Blaine grabbed Kurt's wrist and held it up as gingerly as he could. "Is this real?" Blaine murmured, his voice pained.

Kurt snatched his wrist back, holding it close to his body. Blaine thought he was just another pathetic fan trying to get his attention. This realization stung worse than the straightforward rejection he was anticipating. I felt like a kick in his stomach, and suddenly, he wasn't sure if he could do this.

"Of course it's real," Kurt spit out, his eyes cast down and his wrist cradled against his chest. Blaine's whole body relaxed at his words.

"Oh, Kurt. I'm so sorry. I just needed to be sure." Blaine reached out and put his hand over the one Kurt was cradling his wrist with. "Too many people have tried to trick me. I've tried so hard to keep your name hidden because I've always wanted it to be really you. I've been looking for you forever," Blaine muttered, his eyes big and staring into Kurt.

"Did you feel it? While I was in line, did you feel it?" Kurt asked, darting his eyes up to meet Blaine's, his heart feeling the same pull as before.

"Y-yes," Blaine stuttered out. "I felt it. I feel it now," he whispered. Blaine reached his hand out to run the back of his forefinger against Kurt's cheek. "I've never felt so at home."

Kurt smiled, the nerves and any feeling of rejection shedding off of him in sheets. The touch made his skin feel like it was on fire, but he never wanted to douse the flame. His breath caught in his throat again. His eyes stayed locked on Blaine's, and once again, the world around them faded away into unimportance.

"I can't believe you're real," Blaine said, shaking his head softly with that smile that Kurt had fallen in love with plastered on his face. "Here, let's get up. Go sit somewhere and talk? If that's okay with you, of course," Blaine rushed, but in a quiet tone as if he was afraid he would scare Kurt away. Kurt simply nodded and allowed Blaine to help him up onto his feet. The silence hung in the air. Kurt wasn't sure what to say, what to do, what to think. He knew that this opportunity to be so close to Blaine was rare, and he didn't want to blow his only chance.

"I had them bring you into my dressing room. I hope that's okay," Blaine explained to Kurt as he led him to a couch in the corner of the room. "My manager just wanted to get you to the hospital and not worry about it, but I couldn't let that happen. I couldn't just lose you like that," Blaine said, his eyes growing wide, a frown fixing itself on his lips. Kurt took in the boy next to him and felt his heart sink. Even though it was a small frown, Kurt never wanted to see Blaine in any expression outside of his million-dollar smile. His heart was torn between feeling devastated that Blaine wasn't smiling and jumping for joy that Blaine cared enough to bring him into this very private room.

"Thank you," Kurt whispered, still having a hard time believing everything that was happening around him.

"So tell me about yourself," Blaine said after a moment. His smile was back on his face and Kurt realized how much better he felt because of that. He had never cared so much about someone else's state of happiness before, but he was bound to stop any frowns from appearing on those full lips again.

"Well, what would you like to know?" Kurt asked, matching the smile, finally relaxing a little bit to the strange situation he found himself in.

"Do you live in New York? How old are you? Does your family live here too? What is it that you do? Do you go to school or do you work? Do you have any pets? Do you live alone? Can you do anything cool? When did you realize you were gay? Do you have a boyfriend?" Blaine asked in a series, not leaving room to take a breath, let alone let Kurt answer. Kurt's eyes must have grown because Blaine looked a little embarrassed at his outburst.

"Sorry," he muttered. "I just want to know everything about you." Kurt smiled at the boy. How could he not? He was the definition of adorable wrapped up in tan skin and curly hair.

Kurt smiled and took a deep breath before answering.

"Yes, I live in New York, but I'm not originally from here. I was raised in Ohio, actually, not far from you, where my dad, stepmom, and stepbrother still live. I'm going to school at Parson's for fashion design. I don't have any pets, but I do have a roommate named Rachel who might as well be one. I can tie a cherry stem in my mouth, if that's considered cool, and I sing. More Broadway than acoustic ballads like you, but singing is something I love. I realized I was gay when I was very young. I don't have a boyfriend. Not yet, at least." Kurt smiled as Blaine took in every word Kurt had to say.

"You can tie a cherry stem?" Blaine asked, an eyebrow raised. Kurt blushed a little, but nodded anyway, the smile still playing on his lips.

"I want to know more about you," Blaine said, his eyes sad. "I really want to do this right, though." Blaine took Kurt's left hand and brushed his lips against the back of his palm. "Kurt Hummel, I would be honored if you would go out to dinner with me," Blaine said, his eyes wide and hopeful, his hand still clinging onto Kurt's.

"Oh," Kurt breathed, his heart pounding so loud he was sure Blaine could hear it. "O-of course." His blush grew even darker.

"Great. I'm not allowed to give out my phone number, so I don't even know what the number is to be honest. Is it okay if I take yours and I can let you know when I know what my schedule is like?" Blaine asked, his voice back to being soft as though he would scare Kurt away if he raised it.

"Yeah," Kurt mumbled, his head still having a difficult time wrapping around everything that happened.

"My life is a little crazy, but please be patient with me. We'll figure this out if you're willing to work with me," Blaine pleaded, his hand squeezing Kurt's a little bit tighter.

Kurt nodded franticly, not wanting anything more than to have Blaine, no matter how much work had to be put into doing that. Blaine's smile split across his face, his eyes crinkling at the sides and a chuckle of relief escaping his lips. Kurt's whole body felt like jelly at the sight.

This is it, Kurt decided. This is the best feeling in the whole world.

* * *

**A/N: Wow! Thank you guys so much for reading and commenting and enjoying this story. This story is coming a lot faster because of all of your lovely encouragement. As for updates, I'm working on this story a lot, so hopefully updates will continue to happen quickly, but I do have a full time job that also requires a lot of my attention. All I can say is that I will be getting updates out as soon as possible. Thanks again for reading. You guys are so great. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Before We Meet**

**Chapter 5**

Kurt was pacing around his bedside table where his phone was charging, his fingernail being gnawed at between his teeth. Kurt knew how unattractive the trait he was currently displaying was, and even worse so, he couldn't care less. It had been over seventeen hours since Blaine had said his last goodbyes to him, and he was still waiting on that phone call. Seventeen whole hours of barely any sleep and constant reassurance to himself that he did not dream last night up found Kurt moving onto his next nail and pacing at a quicker pace.

To be perfectly honest, Kurt knew he was being ridiculous. He also knew that meeting your soul mate wasn't something that happened everyday. He decided to excuse his clingy attitude under the clause of his heart taking full control of his brain. Letting out a sigh, he hit the unlock button _just to be sure_he didn't miss a call.

With a groan, Kurt fell back onto his bed. He knew he should give Blaine time, but damn it, it's just so _hard. _Now that Kurt knows what Blaine looks like, what his skin feels like, what his eyes look like when they're looking into the eyes of his soul mate, Kurt wanted nothing else for the rest of his life. And yet, here he was, waiting for this boy to call. He couldn't help the nagging feeling that Blaine didn't feel the same way about Kurt as he did for him. If he had Blaine's number, he would have called as soon as he left the venue, and it bothered him more than it should have that Blaine hadn't done just that.

"Kurt?" Rachel's shrill voice called from the hallway towards the door to his room. "It is three in the afternoon and I haven't even seen you once. In case you forgot, you were supposed to help me with my lines for class on Monday, but instead you're letting my memory rot in turn for what? What is so much more important?"

Kurt groaned again, knowing she wasn't going to leave until he explained his sudden onset depression. He had been careful to avoid telling anyone about Blaine or who he was or even where he was headed last night incase the worst happened. He took a deep breath to prepare himself and then pealed one eye open to look at Rachel.

"I think I screwed up," Kurt whispered, his voice suddenly thick. _Oh no,_ Kurt thought to himself because he just _couldn't _cry yet. Crying meant defeat, and although his nerves were wearing thin, he wasn't about to give in. Blaine was going to call. He _had_to call.

Rachel looked scared. Kurt was never down like this, and quite frankly, it scared her. Kurt was always the emotionally strong one in this household. She needed him to be strong for her Finn fights, because if he wasn't who would be?

"I found Blaine," Kurt whispered. "I found him and I think I've scared him away."

Kurt's words snapped Rachel out of her self-pity party. She looked up, realizing what his words meant.

"Oh, Kurt." She rushed over to him and sat on the bed next to him, her hand gently resting on his knee. "You mean you found _the _Blaine? Blaine Anderson? Blaine-written-on-your-wrist-Anderson?"

Kurt nodded, eliciting a squeal from Rachel.

"Kurt! That's great! Wait! He had your name, too, right?" Rachel's eyes went big.

"Yes, but it's not as easy as that," Kurt sighed. He reached over to his Mac and hit the play button on the keyboard and the song he had been listening to on repeat flowed through is speakers. Kurt visibly relaxed at the sound. Blaine's voice was like silk, and Kurt cursed himself silently for becoming so addicted to it. "Have you heard this song?"

"Oh yes," Rachel said. "They play it pretty often in the coffee shop. His voice is very dreamy, isn't it?" Rachel sighed, always willing to appreciate a good voice when she heard one. "Wait, no Kurt, don't change the subject. Blaine, remember?" Rachel scolded, swatting his knee.

"That's the thing, Rachel." Kurt took a deep breath. "This is Blaine."

Rachel gasped, her hands going up to her mouth and her eyes growing large again.

"And you met him? Did you actually see your name on his wrist? I mean, I'm sure you're not lying, but I don't want you to get your hopes up if you just thought you saw it, or wanted to see it maybe—"

"He showed me his damn name, Rachel," Kurt spat at her. "It said Kurt Hummel. It is definitely him. I just," Kurt took a shaky breath. "I just think I scared him away. He said he was going to call but he hasn't yet, and I met him last night, Rachel. It has been a very long time since I said goodbye to him, and yet here I am!" Kurt waved his hands around dramatically. "Here I am, still alone, still without a call from Blaine. The least he could have done was tell me he wasn't interested. He didn't have to go get my hopes up like that!" Tears were running down Kurt's face now, his emotions running over.

Rachel laughed. She actually _laughed._Kurt could have killed her.

"Oh, Kurt. It's only three in the afternoon. You just met him last night. He's a busy boy, sweetie. Give him some time to figure out what this means to him. As big of a life change as it is to you, imagine what it means for _him._He's famous, he has girls draping themselves over him all the time, he's probably not even out to the media yet." Kurt's mind went back to the interviews he'd watched of Blaine before their meeting. Rachel was right. No one seemed to mention or even ask about his sexual orientation.

Kurt blinked at her, his eyebrows still furrowed. _When did Rachel become so sensitive to other people's feelings?_

"You know I'm right," Rachel smirked. "Just give him a little more time. And stop that." She waved at his forehead. "Wrinkles," she scolded.

Kurt sighed and dropped back on his bed. He didn't know how much more patience he had. His mind went back to last night and was filled with Blaine. The smile etched on his face when he was on stage, the very same one he had when he was saying goodbye to Kurt. He remembered the way his fingers ran over the neck of his guitar compared with how gentle they were as they ran across Kurt's wrist, almost as if he couldn't actually believe it was there. Kurt's thoughts drifted to his eyes, how big and beautiful they were. Kurt never wanted to believe that the eyes were the pathway into the soul, but after seeing Blaine's eyes and the sincerity he carried in them, Kurt knew they absolutely had to be. You could read Blaine like a book through his eyes. Kurt smiled at the thought.

Yes, he could be patient for this boy. Kurt was surprising himself at how much more calm he was after he let his mind drift to the good things of Blaine rather than thoughts of scaring him away. This boy was something else.

Beside him, Kurt's phone lit up and vibrated against the wooden table. Kurt sat up so fast his vision went a little fuzzy. The number buzzing on his phone wasn't one he had saved in his contacts. Kurt swallowed the lump in his throat and reached out a shaking hand, silently chanting to himself not to get his hopes up. He held the phone in his hand, staring at it for a little bit longer before he picked up the nerve to swipe the screen to answer.

"H-hello?" he stuttered out.

"Kurt," the voice sighed out as though he had been holding his breath. There was a nervous chuckle. "It's me. It's Blaine."

"Blaine," Kurt choked out, releasing the breath he didn't know he was holding. "Hi."

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading! You guys are so great. I'm excited for this all to play out. I know it's a bit of slow progression, but slow and steady is fun to write. Thanks again for all of your encouragement!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Before We Meet**

**Chapter 6**

"I know I'm supposed to wait like, 48 hours or something before I call you, because I think that's the rules of dating? But I tried waiting and I couldn't do it anymore," Blaine said into the phone, his voice rushed.

Kurt laughed. He laughed very loudly. He laughed probably too loud for the given situation. Blaine was going to wait two whole days before he called? And he was purposely waiting? Oh, this was just too much.

"I'm glad you called now," Kurt said, sarcasm leaking though his voice. "I was kind of going crazy waiting," he said, his voice softer.

"So you're not freaked out that I'm calling so soon?" Blaine asked.

"God, no." Kurt laughed again. "I've been pacing, Blaine. Pacing."

"So what do you say about that date?" Blaine asked, his voice uneasy again.

"When and where?"

"How about I come pick you up and we can go do one of my favorite things in the whole world?" Blaine asked, his voice settling back down to its normal tempo.

"Yes," Kurt said, his nerves growing instead of evening out like Blaine's.

"When should we go? Friday sound alright to you?"

"No!" Kurt shouted, louder than he meant to. "I mean…" Kurt cleared his throat. "Can it be sooner? I've been driving myself crazy with waiting just for this phone call."

Blaine let out a sigh of what sounded like relief.

"Absolutely. I didn't want to wait, but I didn't want to scare you off. You have to understand, this is not something I do often. I want to do it right," Blaine pleaded. "I want to do this right for you."

Kurt's breath caught in his throat again. All of the worries he felt melted away at Blaine's words. He did want this just as bad as Kurt. _Of course he did, they were soul mates, weren't they?_

"Tonight?" Kurt asked, his voice shaking again.

"Of course, Kurt, as soon as you want. Oh, I'm so glad you said that," Blaine laughed nervously again. "I didn't want to wait. But I would have for you. But oh man, I'm glad I don't have to."

Kurt smiled at Blaine's rambling. It must have been a nervous habit for him. There was a pleased feeling sunk down in Kurt's stomach knowing that he had the power to make Blaine nervous like that.

"Text me your address and I'll pick you up at six." Blaine insisted, his voice still a little rushed.

"Of course," Kurt said, his heart still fluttering and his body practically vibrating with excitement.

"Okay, see you tonight," Blaine said. Kurt could practically hear that award-winning smile on his face.

"Okay," Kurt mirrored the smile.

"Bye, Kurt."

"Bye," he reciprocated, his voice light and airy. Kurt's smile grew even larger on his face. "Wait! Where are we going?" The line was already dead. Kurt huffed. _How was he supposed to know what to wear?_

Even though he was left in the dark, Kurt couldn't help the smile plastered on his face. _He had a date! _A date with his soul _mate_! He had a date with his soul mate who just so happened to be _Blaine freaking Anderson_. The squeal that came out of his mouth was involuntary and perhaps a bit too loud, because the next thing he knew, Rachel was back at his door with a scared look on his face.

"HE CALLED!" Kurt shouted at her, running up and swinging his arms around her body. "And we're going out! Tonight!" Kurt's face fell. "Oh no. We're going out _tonight! _ It's past three and he said he was picking me up at six! Oh god" Kurt pushed Rachel away and ran to his closet. The mild look of disgust on her face was not even seen by Kurt in his rush.

Kurt was just laying out his finalized outfit (Alexander McQueen asymmetrical button up white shirt, worn with Alexander McQueen cardigan, burgundy skinny jeans and matching bow tie, all brought together with his white Doc Martens) and hummed in appreciation of his choices. It was a safe bet for nearly anything they did, since Blaine forgot to mention where they would be going. Kurt could do basically anything in this outfit while still looking fabulous. Beside his clothes on his bed, his phone buzzed twice signaling a text message.

** From: Unknown number: **_Kurt? I need your address, remember?_

Kurt blushed at his mistake and quickly typed out his address and sent it to the number, saving the number under Blaine's name while he was at it.

Deciding it would be best to just shower again, since he had been too preoccupied to dry his hair properly this morning, Kurt practically ran into the bathroom, fearing how fast his time to get ready was slipping by. He showered quickly, making sure to use extra of his vanilla and sandalwood body wash so he smelled fresh.

When Kurt was drying himself off, he saw his phone blinking at the top right corner, indicating a notification. A smile cracked on his face when he read it.

** From: Blaine: **_Great. Can't wait to see you! :) :) :)_

Blaine's enthusiasm was heart warming. No longer did Kurt feel like he was alone in his sudden craving for the other man. Blaine was just as excited about this as he was, even if he did have more people crawling on him constantly.

The realization hit Kurt like a kick in the stomach. Blaine was famous. How did he expect to keep up with him? He always had people hanging on him, begging for is attention. How was he supposed to let Blaine be ogled at without feeling the crippling jealousy he was anticipating? How as he supposed to not see Blaine for days on end while he was off touring? Blaine wasn't even out to the media, as far as Kurt knew. How long would he have to keep his relationship—relationship? Is that what this was?—a secret?

Kurt sighed and shook his head. This wasn't the time. This was just a date, no matter how much he wanted it to signify the rest of their lives together. Kurt was willing to take baby steps with Blaine. This was the first of hopefully many, and he wasn't going to let his fears stop him from having a date with his _soul mate_ for Pete's sake! A smile crept back on his face as he remembered Blaine's enthusiasm. How could he worry when a boy like Blaine was just as eager as he was?

Kurt dried his hair, properly this time, and set out on his pre-date moisturizing routine (extensive, but not as intense as his before bed routine) as he hummed the tune that started this all. After he was dressed, Kurt looked at himself and couldn't help the smug look on his face. This was one of his best outfits. If it didn't impress Blaine, nothing would.

A quick glance at his phone showed that he still had half an hour before Blaine said he would be here. He took his phone and headed out into the living room to find Rachel eating noodles out of a bowl in front of the TV. She let out a low whistle when she saw him.

Kurt blushed, ducking his head, but the small smile still appeared on his lips. Forcing down the nervous butterflies in his stomach, he sat down next to Rachel and mindlessly watched whatever reality show she had on.

For now, all he could do was wait. Again. Yet, this time, the waiting didn't seem so bad because of what was promised to come in the very near future.

* * *

**A/N: The date is coming up next chapter! I'm super excited for it, and I hope you all are too! I know it's going pretty slow, but once Blaine gets a hold of Kurt, things will pick up, I promise. Thank you for reading and reviewing and subscribing and favoriting. The stats on this story blow my mind. I'm so happy you all are liking it. Oh, it warms my heart to know. You all are fabulous. **


	7. Chapter 7

**Before We Meet**

**Chapter 7**

Kurt's nails found themselves being gnawed at between Kurt's teeth as he waited for Blaine. Time seemed to drag slower than usual, and the horrible reality show currently holding Rachel's attention did absolutely nothing to make it go by quicker. With a heavy sigh, Kurt once again pressed the top button on his phone to check the time. He still had five minutes until it was six o'clock, and that was if Blaine was actually on time. He let out another sigh, which earned him a side glare from Rachel.

Kurt was just about to re-check the time, in case a minute (or five) had miraculously passed since his last check when there was a quiet knock on the door. Kurt's heart jumped in his throat and eyes grew wide, suddenly frozen in his spot.

"Coming!" Rachel sang, hopping up to go answer the door.

"Rachel! No!" Kurt whisper-shouted at her, suddenly regaining his mobility as he jumped up and shoved Rachel back down, eliciting a huff from her. Kurt reached the door and smoothed his sweater before taking a deep breath to calm himself down. With a shaking hand, he reached the doorknob and turned it, his heart fluttering happily in his chest when he saw Blaine on the other side. He had somehow convinced himself that Blaine wouldn't actually show up, that this was all some big joke.

And yet, there that beautiful boy was, standing right outside the door, his hands knotted together in front of him and his lip tucked nervously between his teeth. And beautiful he really was. His hair was all curls and mess, as though he had been running his fingers through it constantly. His clothing was similar to Kurt's; Black skinny jeans, a button up and a typical big-buttoned cardigan covering his tie. His eyes still didn't know what color they were as they opened wide and hopeful. His cheeks were faintly red, only a hint of his blush showing through.

"Blaine," Kurt breathed out, his heart still racing. "Hello."

Blaine looked up at Kurt, then trailed his eyes down Kurt's body and back up to meet his eyes. The same pull as the night they first met was there, only a bit stronger this time.

"Kurt, you look…" Blaine sucked his bottom lip between his teeth again. "You look great," he finished softly, his eyes not leaving Kurt's.

"Thank you," Kurt murmured, internally applauding himself again for his excellent sense of fashion.

Blaine smiled, and that was all it took to rid Kurt completely of his nerves. That smile worked miracles, he was sure of it.

"Ready to go?" Blaine asked, the smile still showing in his eyes.

Kurt nodded, stepping through the door. He only faintly heard Rachel's call of goodbye, but was too distracted to answer. He led Blaine through the apartment hallway for a while, still feeling fuzzy (side effects of the smile, he assumed), when he realized he still had no idea where he was going.

"Am I appropriately dressed for where we're going, of which I still have yet to find out, by the way," Kurt made known, a playful tone to his voice.

Blaine looked over and cracked a smile, all of his teeth showing and his eyes crinkling at the sides. "Well, I hope you don't get seasick," he smirked, holding the door open for Kurt as they approached the exit.

Kurt was going to comment on the idea of them going on a boat, but his breath seemed to catch in his throat as he saw Blaine holding the door, his smile never faltering. As soon as he stepped through, Blaine followed, and then offered his arm. Kurt blushed, but slid his arm through anyway. Blaine led them down the path and to a car with dark windows that was already running.

"After you," Blaine said as he held open the back door. Kurt looked at him in confusion as to why he was making him sit in back rather than up in the passenger's seat. Blaine's smile never fell, but his eyes turned regretful at Kurt's hesitation. Not wanting to start anything, Kurt did as he was asked and slid in the back seat.

As soon as he was in, Kurt let out a shriek at the man already in the driver's seat. Blaine was quick to follow Kurt into the car, not missing the reaction from his date.

"Kurt, this is William my driver. William," Blaine looked at the driver, "This is my Kurt." His eyes grew large as the realization of his words sunk in. "I mean, this is Kurt. He's my date." Blaine blushed. "He's the one I've been telling you about."

Kurt nodded at the man. Of course Blaine had a driver. He kept forgetting that Blaine wasn't like him. He was _famous_. Kurt knew it was going to become painfully obvious that he was not, but with one look at Blaine's pleading eyes, he decided he was going to ride it out as long as he could.

Kurt let out a shaky breath and returned the smile to his date. Blaine visibly relaxed and his smile once again reached his eyes. He ran a hand through his curls nervously.

"Have you ever been on a boat?" Blaine asked, sparking the conversation.

"I haven't. I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little bit scared though," Kurt answered, sucking his bottom lip into his mouth.

"No need to be scared," Blaine chucked. "It's a cruise yacht. We're just going for a two-hour ride. It's my favorite thing to do."

Kurt's head spun. A yacht. He was going on a yacht. Of course, it wasn't_ Blaine's yacht,_ but a yacht nonetheless. His eyes must have lit up, because Blaine's smile grew even more, not helping the spinning in Kurt's head at all. Kurt wondered if he had that effect on everyone, or if he was just especially susceptible to it.

"Sounds great," Kurt said, his eyes never leaving Blaine's.

"I want to talk now, but I want to save some of my pre-organized questions for the ride because that's basically all we'll do. We'll eat and we'll talk and we'll drink for two hours. So I'm sorry I'm making this car ride quiet, but I just want it to be special when we talk about some of the questions I want to ask because the sunset will be in the background and…" Blaine shrugged his shoulders limply to signify that even he didn't know where his spiel was going.

"Well, Blaine, so far you are making this car ride anything but quiet," Kurt smirked. It helped him calm down to see that Blaine was just as nervous for this date as he was. If nervous Blaine meant rambling Blaine, Kurt could definitely get used to this boy and all of his adorableness.

Blaine blushed, but kept quiet after that, the rest of the short ride to the pier relatively quiet. As they arrived, Blaine hopped out of the car and extended his arm once again to Kurt as he followed. They walked quickly onto the dock and Blaine handed the man both tickets before they were allowed on, Blaine leading Kurt to the very top deck.

Off in the back corner of the yacht was a small table with only two chairs that Blaine quickly claimed. Blaine, ever the gentleman, pulled out Kurt's chair for him, pulling up another blush and a quiet "thank you" as Kurt's nerves were starting to set in again.

"I've never been this nervous for a date before," Blaine said, his mouth trying to smile but his eyes holding him back. He reddened after his words as though he didn't mean to say them out loud. He let out a nervous chuckle and attempted to remedy it with, "So, how do you like New York?"

Their conversation picked up quickly. They talked about New York, which led to Broadway plays Blaine had seen and just how jealous Kurt was ("_I've been dying to go, but college is the ultimate money suck_," he had said with a pout). Rachel was a minor topic of conversation, which quickly got them on the topic of Ohio and how they both miss it, but are both also glad they are out, sharing a smile with the common ground. With each topic of conversation, Kurt found the connection he felt to Blaine grow stronger and stronger.

"Fashion is my real calling," Kurt said around bites of the hors d'oeuvre and sips of his sparling juice (_damn Blaine only being 20_) the waiter had brought them. "I can't wait to start making my own pieces for others. I make my own clothing quite frequently, but I want to make the whole world shine with Kurt Hummel designs."

Blaine nodded in agreement. "That's exactly how I feel about my music, in an odd way, I guess. I like doing music for myself, but it's the effect on other people that really makes it great."

"Well it hooked me in," Kurt said, his smile beaming at the thought of his first time _really_ hearing "Before We Meet" over a month ago.

"What got you hooked?" Blaine asked, his attention on nothing but Kurt.

"Your song 'Before We Meet' was on my Pandora and the lyrics caught my attention. Only after I listened to it, did I figure out who sang it. I thought for sure it was some other Blaine Anderson, because you were quite honestly too good to be true," Kurt finished, his eyes fixed on his hands knotted in front of him on the table.

"I wrote it about you," Blaine said softly. Kurt looked up to meet his eyes and the connection he felt was beyond powerful. _It's his eyes, _Kurt told himself. _No, it's because he's your soul mate_, he quickly corrected with a fluttering sensation in his stomach.

"Can I…?" Blaine reached out for Kurt's hand and Kurt's heart stopped. Blaine's magic touch gave him that feeling, deep in the pit of his stomach, the feeling of everything being _right_. Blaine gave his hand a small squeeze and flipped it over. "I never really expected to find you," he said absent mindedly as his fingers ran over his own name on Kurt's wrist. Kurt mirrored his actions and flipped Blaine's hand around to stare at the name on Blaine's, the reality of the situation finally starting to sink in a little bit.

Blaine finally looked up and tugged Kurt's hand to get his attention.

"Kurt, look. This is the entire reason I brought you here." Blaine pointed to the breathtaking sunset on the horizon, its reflection strong against the water. He stood them up so they were leaning against the railing of the deck. Kurt sucked in his breath at the sight.

"Beautiful," he murmured, his hand squeezing Blaine's.

"I know," Blaine returned, his eyes fixed on Kurt. Kurt looked back at him and blushed.

Despite his forwardness, Kurt had never felt more comfortable with a compliment. He suspected it was because he had never felt more comfortable with a person. But Blaine wasn't just a person. He was Kurt's _soul mate, _and the short two hours had only solidified that. Kurt thought he should be scared at all of his feelings towards the boy next to him, but with Blaine's hand intertwined with his, he really couldn't find himself to care.

Their hands remained clasped together as the boat made its final haul towards the dock once again. The dock was a reminder that Kurt had to leave Blaine at the end of his night, and an overwhelming sensation of emptiness washed over him at the thought.

"I don't want to leave yet," Kurt said, his eyes big and locked on Blaine.

"I don't want you to leave either," Blaine replied, his eyes looking lost. Kurt hoped it was because he was feeling the same sudden attachment. Blaine turned Kurt so he was facing him, and whispered softly so no one could hear, "Don't think I'm being too forward, because you know I only have the best intentions, but please, please, please come back to my house. Just for drinks, or a movie. I'm not picky, I'm just not ready to let you go." His eyes were wide with worry, fearing Kurt's response.

Kurt could only nod, his hand squeezing tighter on Blaine's.

* * *

**A/N: Whew. That was pretty fun to write. I hope it meets your standards! Up next, Blaine's house. Thanks for reading! I know I say this like every time, but honestly, without all the encouragement you guys are leaving me, I wouldn't be able to write this. You guys are the best. I love you all. **


	8. Chapter 8

**Before We Meet**

**Chapter 8**

Back in the car, Blaine's hand clung onto Kurt's for dear life. Kurt was a little afraid of his hand getting sweaty, and Blaine getting grossed out, but after the spectacular night they had just shared, he didn't really care enough to slide his hand away. All that really mattered was seeing the smile on Blaine's face as he sat contently in the backseat with him.

"So, I'm thinking a movie is in order," Blaine announced as they turned a corner away from the pier.

"What did you have in mind?" Kurt smiled as he asked.

"Well, I want a happy movie. Something I can giggle at because tonight has been great and I really want to keep that going." He squeezed Kurt's hand.

The remainder of the ride was in a comfortable silence, both of them still exchanging nervous looks and the occasional hand squeeze or knee bump. Kurt couldn't remember the last time he had felt so content sharing a space with someone else.

As they drove, Kurt was unsurprised to learn that Blaine lived in the Upper East Side of New York. Again, the sinking feeling of Blaine being famous hit his stomach. Kurt didn't want to deal with that little issue quite yet, so he pushed the thought away. Why ruin such a good night with something that hasn't been proven to be an issue yet?

"We're here," Blaine said softly once the car was outside a large apartment building. Blaine hopped out and extended his hand back to Kurt. Once they were both out, Blaine said his thanks to the driver and led Kurt inside. The elevator ride was quick, the comfortable silence still enveloping them both. Kurt thought that he should feel a bit more strange going to Blaine's house after the first date, but he couldn't get himself to think of why it was wrong because everything around him felt so comfortable.

Once they were outside of what Kurt assumed was Blaine's door, Blaine stopped them and jingled his keys nervously.

"Thanks for not thinking I'm creepy for inviting you over here," he said, his eyebrows knitted together and his lips in a little pout as if he was afraid Kurt was going to tell him otherwise.

"I don't think you're creepy," Kurt replied with a smile and an almost overwhelming urge to kiss the pout on Blaine's lips away. Blaine let out a small sigh of relief at Kurt's words and resumed unlocking the door. With one last worried glance back at Kurt, Blaine opened the door and ushered Kurt in.

"You have a very nice…" Kurt trailed off as he looked around the very empty entry room "Home?"

Blaine laughed as if that was the perfect thing for Kurt to say, confusion included.

"Yeah, it's not much," Blaine waved at the lack of decorations, or even furniture for that matter. "But, I'm not here that often. Touring you know…" Blaine trailed off and ran a hand through his curls.

The feeling crept back into Kurt's stomach. Blaine wasn't home often. He wasn't home because he was touring. He was touring because he was famous. The fact that he was kept coming back to tease him, as if it were to laugh in his face that he thought this relationship would be a possibility. He wanted to let that feeling to. He wanted to forget about it and just see where life takes them, but it was like a constant roller coaster. He was consistently being reminded that Blaine lead a different lifestyle than Kurt, but then he was constantly being reassured how perfect Blaine was for him in practically every move he made. This was confusing. Kurt let out a quiet sigh.

"Would you like anything to drink?" Blaine asked, his nerves obviously settling back in as he continued to scratch the back of his head, an uneasy look on his face.

The anxious look on Blaine's face shook Kurt of his momentary panic because _god damn it, Blaine stop being so adorable when you're nervous. _Kurt couldn't help but smile.

"No, thank you," Kurt said, his eyes softening as he looked at the boy standing awkwardly in his own house. "Let's watch that movie."

"Okay," Blaine smiled and walked over to the only couch in the fairly large living room, Kurt following and seating himself on the outside edge of the couch. "So what would you like to watch? I don't have that many movies, but I can hook up Netflix if you want, or—"

"I'll love whatever you choose," Kurt cut him off. As adorable as Blaine's nervous ramblings were, he really just wanted Blaine to come back to the couch. Blaine may ramble when he's nervous, but Kurt tends to overthink everything and only recently did find that the cure is the touch of one Blaine Anderson. He could really use a fix right about now.

Blaine futzed around with his DVDs, putting in one Kurt had never even heard of before, but it didn't matter because Blaine was walking back to the couch with a shy smile and Kurt felt his heart flutter helplessly.

Instead of sitting on the other end of the couch, Blaine sat on the middle cushion right next to Kurt. Kurt smiled and shyly offered his hand, of which Blaine gladly laced his fingers in and visibly relaxed, pressing play on the remote.

The movie was funny, but apparently Blaine thought it was _hilarious. _Kurt could tell that this was obviously one of Blaine's favorite movies. Blaine laughed hysterically at nearly every poorly placed pun, and Kurt laughed at Blaine laughing, and the feeling of contentment washed over Kurt in welcomed waves.

Eventually the movie ended, and Blaine, obviously not wanting Kurt to leave yet suggested watching another movie. Kurt readily agreed, and Blaine handed the Wii remote to Kurt so he could choose the next movie on Netflix. Kurt was trying to concentrate on what movie to pick, wanting more than anything to make a good impression on Blaine, but he was suddenly feeling nervous under Blaine's stare from right next to him. Kurt looked over and caught Blaine staring at his face, a longing look in his eyes.

"What?" Kurt asked softly, picking the first on Blaine's suggestions for "Romantic Comedies" so he could turn his full attention to Blaine.

"I just really want to kiss you, is all," Blaine murmured, his voice even quieter.

"Then kiss me," Kurt said, his heart in his throat and his eyes suddenly a mixture of anxiety and hope.

Blaine subconsciously licked his lips slightly and leaned in, his eyes flicking between Kurt's eyes and his lips. He brought his hand up to cup the side of Kurt's face gently, the same side that he touched the night they met, Kurt subtly remembered.

"You're so beautiful," Blaine whispered, his face moving closer to Kurt's, and then suddenly their lips were being gently pressed together.

Kurt was flying. None of his other kisses had felt like this. There was no urgency, just the silent need to touch. Blaine's lips were a little bit chapped, and their noses were pressed awkwardly into each other's, but this was, hands down, the most perfect kiss Kurt had ever had. If he had ever doubted before that this Blaine was _his _Blaine, his soul mate, the overwhelming feeling of _right_ in this kiss, despite the seemingly imperfect factors, proved he was.

Blaine softly pulled back and opened his eyes, staring into Kurt, a smile playing at his lips. Kurt let out a sigh and then pulled Blaine in for another. They kissed for what was probably too long, but they couldn't stop. Kurt didn't ever want to stop. Their kisses only improved, Blaine's tongue finally finding its way into Kurt's mouth and dancing with his own. It was just the right amount of nips and licks to make their little make out session perfect, the feeling in Kurt's chest helping prove that point.

Finally, they pulled apart to catch their breath and paid attention to the movie for the first time. They had already missed a good chunk of the beginning, so actually following the story line wasn't really an option anymore. This fact didn't seem to deter Blaine as he laid his head on Kurt's shoulder to watch.

Kurt let out another content sigh and turned to watch the movie with Blaine, a smile etched on his lips that he had a sneaking suspicion would stay there for a while. The movie was terrible, but Kurt was content with just having Blaine so close to him. He continuously glanced down at him to make sure Blaine was still happy, and he always was as he glanced back up at Kurt every so often. Kurt wasn't sure if these butterflies in his stomach would ever go away, but quite frankly, he hoped they wouldn't.

On one of his glances down at Blaine, he saw the boy's eyes closed and heard his breathing leveled out and deeper. Blaine had fallen asleep and Kurt's heart expanded. As if Blaine could get anymore adorable, here he was asleep on Kurt's shoulder like a toddler. Kurt smiled and decided it would be better if he just stayed the night anyway.

Kurt moved slowly so he was lying on the couch, Blaine's head on his chest and closed his eyes to match Blaine, his hands wrapping around him protectively. Kurt fell asleep quietly, internally battling between feeling content with the boy in his arms and pushing away the unwanted, yet familiar feeling that this was too good to last.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading, guys! You all are seriously the best thing about writing this. Each of you holds a special spot in my heart. So seriously, thank you. Also, I feel like I should apologize for any grammatical errors. I don't have a beta reader, so usually in my rush to get this story out I glance over mistakes in my read through. My apologies! **


	9. Chapter 9

**Before We Meet**

**Chapter 9**

Blaine had fought and fought with his manager for the date with Kurt. He understood where he was coming from, but he really, really, really did not agree. Kurt wasn't just some fan that was throwing himself at Blaine. Kurt was Blaine's _soul mate_ and damn it, he was going to get his chance at his happily ever after too. He had been _so careful_ not to let the name of his soul mate slip out, so he would know he had found his soul mate when he introduced himself as Kurt Hummel.

Blaine knew he was being quick about it, but he had finally found the boy he had been searching for his whole life, and quite honestly, he wasn't going to let that slip by him because of some silly record label he now obtained.

And Kurt was perfect. No matter how much guilt he had for going behind his manager's back and going on the date even though he had "strongly advised him to snap out of this silly fairy tale," the way Kurt blushed at compliments and smiled at Blaine washed out any feeling of guilt. Blaine had found his soul mate, and the date, even if it was only one single date, had proved his thoughts right. Kurt _was _his soul mate, and now that he had him, he wasn't going to let him go.

Waking up in Kurt's arms was the biggest relief to Blaine's guilt for going behind his manager's back about the date. The same sense of right that he felt while kissing Kurt was back as he was wrapped up in the sleeping boy's arms. Once he figured out where he was, a smile split on his face. He sat up a little and glanced up at Kurt.

He had never seen someone look so adorable asleep. Kurt's cheeks were flushed, his lips slightly parted. He looked so at peace, and it only made Blaine's heart flutter more than it had last night. He couldn't help but think that this was what he was supposed to wake up to every morning for the rest of his life. Once again, Blaine was feeling unbelievably content.

As he was admiring Kurt, there was a knock at the door. Blaine usually would have answered, but quite honestly, the only person worth answering the door for was currently asleep underneath him. With a smile, he laid his head back down on Kurt's chest so he could maybe catch some more sleep before Kurt woke up, ignoring the continuing knocks at the door.

"Blaine! Open this door!" the voice behind the knocking boomed. Blaine's heart stopped. He would know that voice anywhere. It was Michael, his one and only manager. It was the very manager he had lied to about where he was last night, and more importantly about who was sleeping on his couch. Michael had told him not to pursue anything with Kurt. After a very long argument, Blaine reluctantly agreed, mentally crossing his fingers. It was no sooner that Michael left Blaine on his own when Blaine had hurried off to make the phone call that he had wanted to make since Kurt left the venue.

The very same Michael was now pounding at his door, and the only real worry Blaine could think of was that he would wake Kurt if he didn't pipe down.

Very slowly, Blaine got off the couch, untangling himself from Kurt's arms. He smiled at Kurt's little grunt and bent down to kiss his forehead softly. He gave one last glance at the boy and then walked over to the door to stop the pounding. He opened it only a crack so Michael didn't see Kurt right away.

"What do you want?" Blaine asked in a hurried whisper.

"Blaine. I am your manager. It is my job to be here." Michael tried to open the door so he could get in.

"Well, I need you to be quiet." Blaine looked Michael right in the eye, showing that he wasn't going to back down from this fight. "Kurt is asleep."

Michael's eyes went wide as he pushed the door hard enough to open it. "What do you think you're doing?" he roared, Blaine jumping and rushing to physically cover his mouth, causing Michael's eyes to stretch even further.

"Don't you dare wake him up," Blaine whispered, his voice angrier this time. He took his hand off of Michael's mouth and held up his forefinger to his lips and motioning towards the hallway with his other hand. Blaine moved quickly into the other room, knowing that Michael would only talk if Blaine were there to listen, thus forcing him into the other room so Kurt could remain blissfully ignorant of his presence.

•••

Kurt was awake before he had opened his eyes. He was letting the rest of his senses pick up on his surroundings before he absolutely _had _to get up. Mondays weren't as bad for him anymore because his first class wasn't until two. He could sleep in every single Monday, and it was one of the best feelings in the world.

Kurt was comfortable. He could tell that he had just had one of the best nights of sleep in a while. He was a little bit cold, but when he reached down to tug at his covers and couldn't find them, he shrugged off the feeling. It was bearable.

Kurt then heard the arguing in the distance. He vaguely wondered whom Rachel had over and why on earth she was arguing with him so early in the morning. He strained to listen further, never giving up the opportunity to get some good dirt.

"_We've been over this," _the man said. _"He's probably just using you for your money, or for the publicity. The name on his wrist might not even be real!"_

"_He is real! What we have is real!" Rachel answered. _

Kurt sat up straight, his eyes flying open. That was not Rachel who answered. That was Blaine. The Blaine he had gone on a date with last night. The Blaine whose apartment he was in right now, whose couch he slept on last night.

Blaine was fighting with someone. And from what he had heard, it sounded like Blaine was fighting with someone over _him. _Kurt slowly got up and walked to the wall by the hallway so he could listen more. He knew it was wrong of him, but he really needed to know what Blaine was saying to him. He needed to know if the trust he put in him was done so rightfully.

"_You need to grow up. I know this seems like the best thing in the world, but it's not logical for the moment!"_

"_I don't care if it's logical. It's what I want. I know it will be hard, but I've been looking for Kurt forever." _

"_Damn it, Blaine. This is going to ruin your singing career. I need you single and straight. That's how we market you. We've been through this."_

"_I'm not giving up what I might have with Kurt. I've only just met him. Please don't make me lose him already."_

"_He won't be able to keep up with your lifestyle, Blaine. Famous musicians don't have relationships. You are a famous musician. You need to decide right now if you want that to continue or if you want Kurt to continue."_

Kurt felt tears sting his eyes. He wouldn't make Blaine choose like that. He had said so himself last night, music was his everything. What kind of heartless being would Kurt be if he made Blaine give that up? No. He wasn't going to do this to Blaine. He deserved so much better.

He quickly wiped way the forming tears and made his way to the door, patting his pockets to make sure he had his cell phone. When it wasn't there, he ran over to the couch in an attempt to find it. He could still hear the arguing in the background, but tried his best to ignore it. He didn't want his heart to break anymore.

The coffee table seemed invisible in his rush to the couch. He only seemed to notice it when his shin banged into it.

"Fuck!" Kurt yelled, reaching down to sooth his shin. The background noise of the argument stopped immediately.

"Kurt?" Blaine asked, his voice tentative. He slowly started walking over to Kurt who had sat down on the couch. Kurt looked up and met Blaine's eyes, the familiar feeling washing over him.

"I'm sorry," Kurt said, his voice almost too soft for Blaine to hear it.

"Give me some time. I'll call you this afternoon when I'm ready to be picked up." Blaine had turned around to snap at Michael, the anger in his eyes screaming_ 'you woke him up, you asshole.'_

Michael made a hasty retreat, knowing he wasn't going to get any further with Blaine now that Kurt was awake. With a sigh, he shut the door behind him.

"Blaine, I don't want you to have to choose," Kurt said, his voice shaking as he desperately tried to swallow the lump in his throat.

"Oh, Kurt. How much of that conversation did you hear? I told him not to wake you up." Blaine sat next to Kurt on the couch and gathered him up in his arms.

"I won't make you choose. I don't want you to give up your career," Kurt mumbled into Blaine's chest, his arms circling around Blaine's neck.

"Don't you dare listen to Michael. I won't ever choose my career over you if it means giving you up. You're everything I've ever wanted, Kurt. You're worth more than the world to me already." Kurt smiled a little at Blaine's words. Blaine pulled back to look at Kurt's face as if he could sense it. "I know this is a little fast, but I am not going to give you up, my manager be damned. Got that?"

Kurt nodded, not trusting his voice. There was a comfortable silence that fell over them.

"Thank you for last night," Blaine said at last.

"No, thank you," Kurt replied, his head going back to rest on Blaine's shoulder as Blaine's hands rubbed soothingly up and down his back.

Blaine pulled back again, his hand reaching to cup Kurt's cheek. Kurt knew what that meant, and before he could help himself, he was leaning in to capture Blaine's lips. Kurt let the feeling of _right_ was over him again, all of his worries from earlier disappearing between the shared kisses with his soul mate.

* * *

**A/N: Whoops! Sorry for the wait, guys. Real life has gotten pretty crazy. But don't you worry. I'm still going to do my best to get these chapters out to you all as soon as I can. I'm sorry there was a bit of angst in this chapter. I know there will be some, but this was pretty heavy. Next chapter will be light and sweet and alkjdf I can't wait for you guys to read it. Thanks for all of your encouragement! **


	10. Chapter 10

**Before We Meet**

**Chapter 10**

Kurt giggled as Blaine caught his bottom lip between his teeth. Their kisses were magnificent now losing the awkward angles. Kurt melted into Blaine, loving the way their bodies fit so perfectly together. Kurt pulled back as Blaine gave one last nip to Kurt's bottom lip.

"Are we going to talk about this morning?" Kurt asked, his eyes uneasy.

"What is there to talk about?" Blaine asked. "I told my manager I choose you over his guidance and he was angry. He has no real hold on what I do, Kurt. I still am my own person."

Kurt flinched at the harsh tone to his voice.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you by bringing it up."

"Like I could ever be mad at you," Blaine smiled, his eyes shifting over to shining, and his finger running down the side of Kurt's face. Kurt felt in the pit of his stomach that there was so much more to talk about, but he let it go for now. He wasn't going to get any progress if Blaine was still upset from this morning.

"I have class at two," Kurt said, trying to change the subject. He started looking around the room to find a clock.

"Which class?" Blaine asked, catching Kurt's eye.

"Color theory. It's easy, but so absolutely necessary. I think everyone should have to take it, just so they can match their own clothes each morning." Kurt waved his hand dismissively.

"Well, I'm assuming you don't want to wear your clothes from yesterday then," Blaine offered. Kurt wrinkled his nose in response.

"No, thank you. I have to shower and stuff too. I can't believe I let you kiss me when I'm so not put together," Kurt said, a mocking horror to his voice. Blaine smiled and squeezed his arms a little tighter.

"Would you like me to give you a ride to class?" Blaine asked, his eyes hopeful.

"No, I need to walk to class. Get in some cardio. But I would love a ride home, if you're offering?" Kurt replied, his fingers absentmindedly playing with the collar on Blaine's shirt.

"Absolutely. It's only about nine thirty, though. Would you like some breakfast before we head out?" Blaine's eyes were practically begging Kurt to stay longer.

"Let's see what we can make," Kurt smiled, getting off of Blaine's lap and offering his hand. Blaine stood up next to him and laced his fingers with Kurt's, tugging him towards the kitchen.

As it turned out, Blaine didn't have much food. He scratched the back of his head nervously, trying to fight down the embarrassment as Kurt was scrutinizing him.

"Not much, I see," Kurt said, poking his head up from the fridge. "Eggs okay?" He lifted up the carton with only a few left.

"Eggs are perfect," Blaine replied, wrapping his arms around Kurt's middle and kissing his shoulder. Kurt smiled to himself and set off to work.

•••

Breakfast went by too quickly for Blaine's liking. Breakfast was also much more delicious than he can remember anything coming from his kitchen ever being. It was just eggs, but they were the best Blaine had ever eaten. He was simultaneously amazed and confused by this.

Before he knew it, Blaine was outside of Kurt's apartment door searching his brain desperately for a way to keep Kurt with him just a little bit longer. The best he could come up with was not releasing him from the tight hug he currently had him in.

"Blaine, I really have to go get ready," Kurt said, trying his best to sound authoritative, yet failing with the giggle that followed shortly after.

Blaine knew he was right, though, and reluctantly let go, his hands trailing down Kurt's arms and grabbing onto his hands as he reached them.

"I'll call you, okay?" Blaine said, his eyes wide, just a hint of sadness peeking through.

"You better," Kurt replied with a smirk.

"Have fun in class," Blaine tried, still attempting to keep Kurt.

"Blaine." Kurt said, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"Okay, okay. Bye," Blaine finished, leaning in to kiss Kurt's cheek.

Kurt raised a hand to his cheek and blushed.

"Bye," he said, his voice light and airy.

Finally, Blaine turned and left, looking over his shoulder at Kurt down the hall. He would have to see Kurt later, he decided. But for now, Blaine definitely had to pay a visit to his manager.

•••

Two o'clock found Blaine sitting across the kitchen table of Michael Wagner, the very man himself sitting at the other end.

"Blaine, you know I'm just trying to look out for your best interest. The record label could drop you if they find out about this. It's difficult to sell your albums when the teenage girls who buy them know they _really_ don't have a chance with you. We need to keep that fantasy open for them. More money for you, more money for the label, everyone's happy, okay?"

Blaine sighed. He knew Michael was right. He knew the record label would be much less than thrilled with this news, but quite frankly, Blaine was having a hard time putting that over Kurt.

"I get it, okay? I really do, Michael. But, of course, Kurt means more to me than some stupid record deal. I'd be perfectly fine with going back out and doing it on my own."

Michael looked scared. Blaine figured he was expecting that to lure Blaine away from Kurt, yet he shouldn't have been surprised. Kurt was all Blaine was looking for. The reason he was so popular in the first place was because of a song Blaine wrote about Kurt for Pete's sake.

"And when you go on tour next month?" Michael asked, his voice quiet.

Blaine's heart sunk. He would be leaving Kurt for a few months because of this tour. How could he have forgotten? The pained look must have been evident on his face.

"Look, Blaine. I'm really happy for you. I really am. You do what you have to do, I guess." Michael had given up trying to persuade Blaine. He was shoulder deep in this with Kurt, and there was definitely no wiggling him out of it.

"I'll talk to Kurt and see what he wants, okay?" Blaine's voice was small. He couldn't remember what it felt like to not be worried about leaving Kurt for the tour, and it was a terrible feeling that had replaced it. Michael stood up and walked to the door with him.

"Do what you have to do, kid." Michael slapped Blaine's shoulder. "Oh, and Blaine? I like him already."

Blaine grinned and shut the door behind him.

The conversation he needed to have with Kurt really wasn't the over-the-phone kind of deal. Blaine _obviously_ had no choice but to go meet up with Kurt after he was done with class. Right?

Blaine made one quick stop, then was headed for Parson's, prepared to inquiry every person until he found which room Color Theory took place.

•••

As Kurt walked outside of the building he just had class with, he was met with a gargle of squawking girls. They were surrounding someone, but Kurt was really too caught up in getting home and calling Blaine to care. Just as he was walking past, he heard it, making his heart stop.

"Excuse me ladies."

Kurt knew that voice. That was Blaine's voice. If that was Blaine's voice, that meant Blaine was here. Kurt whipped around and was met with the hazel eyes that were smiling as big as the mouth beneath them.

"Blaine," Kurt let out, his voice weak and unbelieving.

"Hello, Kurt," Blaine said, his typical suave shining through. No wonder those girls were gushing. Blaine was so… gushable. "I was hoping we could go grab some coffee?"

Kurt nodded before Blaine even finished the question.

"Great, I'll drive," Blaine said, shooting Kurt a small wink and walking in the direction of his car.

Blaine, ever the gentleman, opened the door for Kurt and hurried around to the other side. He looked at Kurt, his eyes much more anxious than before.

"I got something for you. I didn't know if you would be into this sort of thing or not, but I really just wanted to get you something to show you that I was thinking about you, you know? Because I really appreciate you and who you are and what you—"

"Blaine," Kurt said, his voice calm. He knew it was the only way to get Blaine out of his rambling mode. Calm Kurt meant calm Blaine.

Blaine clamped his mouth shut, realizing what he was doing and reached into the back seat. When he pulled his hand back up, in it was the most beautiful red, long-stemmed rose Kurt had ever seen.

"Oh, Blaine," Kurt whispered, taking the flower from Blaine's hand and bringing it up to his nose to inhale softly. "Thank you."

"So that was okay?"

"This is perfect."

Kurt held the rose up and inhaled again, his eyes meeting Blaine's. Quickly, he leaned across the center console and pressed a kiss to Blaine's cheek, mirroring Blaine's actions from this morning.

As if on cue, Blaine raised his hand to his cheek just as Kurt had this morning.

Kurt smiled at Blaine as he finally put the car in gear and started driving to the coffee shop. Kurt was more than content to just sit back, let the sent of the flower fill his nose and listen to his soul mate hum along to the radio in perfect harmony.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry again for the delay. Updates may be coming in a bit slower now that real life has picked up. But do not worry, I am not abandoning this. I still have tons in store for these two. Just remember, for the next chapter or perhaps the chapter after that, this story is rated M for a reason. Thanks for reading and encouraging as always! **


	11. Chapter 11

**Before We Meet**

**Chapter 11**

When Blaine pulled up to the coffee shop, he parked the car but didn't get out right away. He turned to Kurt and took his hands in his own.

"I'm just really glad I met you, you know," Blaine said with a shy smile.

"Likewise," Kurt muttered out, his voice light and soft.

Blaine gave Kurt a smile, brought his hand up to his lips and kissed the back of it, sending Kurt into a fit of quiet giggles, his blush growing as Blaine kept peppering kisses on the back of his hand.

"Now then," Blaine started, opening his door. "Let's go get you caffeinated so I can hear more giggles."

Kurt couldn't help the small giggles that fell from his lips at Blaine's antics. It was still amazing how Blaine was the perfect combination of silly and smooth, his point only being proven by Blaine holding the door open as they entered the small shop.

They entered with an easy silence around them, Blaine hovering close to Kurt but not quite touching. They ordered their drinks, Blaine insisting on paying, and then took a table in the corner that mildly secluded them.

The comfortableness began to slip away from around them as they sipped their coffees and still didn't talk. Kurt could tell that Blaine was itching to say something, making the tension thick around them. Kurt didn't push it, knowing full well that if he said the wrong thing, things would get much more awkward, much more quickly. Silently, he locked eyes with Blaine as he took another sip of his hot mocha.

"I'm not going to be like other boyfriends, Kurt," Blaine finally said, an uneasy look etched into his eyes.

"I don't understand," Kurt said, a small frown appearing on his lips. Surely Blaine couldn't be breaking up with him…right?

Blaine reached out and grabbed Kurt's hands in his, squeezing tightly. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"I know you heard some of the… confrontation between my manager and I this morning."

Kurt nodded shyly at the memory.

"He has some good points that we really need to discuss."

Kurt swallowed, his mouth suddenly feeling very dry despite the coffee he had been drinking for the past few minutes.

"I have just started a new contract with this record label, and quite frankly, if they don't think I'm living up to my standards, they could drop me from it." Blaine's eyes looked at Kurt with a deep sadness etched in.

"What are these standards?" Kurt asked, his voice small.

"Single and straight, mostly." Blaine looked down.

"Oh," was all Kurt could say. His stomach fell. He's sure his face had paled even more than usual and his hand felt clammy, forcing him to take it back from Blaine's hold.

"But I just need to stick with them long enough to figure out a back up plan when they do drop me. I'm not ashamed of you, Kurt. I'm not ashamed of who I am or what we have. I don't care if they drop me, I just need to know I'll be able to pick up the pieces afterward." Blaine's voice was pleading. He clearly felt like he was losing Kurt already, evident by the way Blaine wrung his hands together in shame in his lap.

Kurt thought about this. Blaine was willing to be dropped from his label, the one thing guaranteeing him income, just to be with Kurt. This had to be the biggest sacrifice anyone had been willing to make for him in a long time. That meant something, and Kurt knew it did. He felt the urge to do whatever it took to keep Blaine, and there was nothing to stop him from acting upon that urge.

"If you're willing to make that sacrifice for me, I have to be willing to keep this a secret for you. We both work on it, we both gain from it in the end, right?" Kurt asked, his eyes still shining with sadness, but hope was beginning to push through.

Blaine looked back up, a smile tugging at his face, despite the sadness and worry in his eyes.

"Yes," he offered, his voice still small.

Kurt reached out and grabbed Blaine's hand again, squeezing slightly before running his thumb over Blaine's knuckles in encouragement.

"There's one more thing though," Blaine said, his eyes glued to the table, refusing to meet Kurt's eyes. "Touring is going to force me across the country away from you for long periods at a time." Blaine finally looked up to meet Kurt's glance. "I'm not going to be around constantly like I want to touch you and kiss you and hold you and watch movies and eat eggs that taste way better than they should and—"

Kurt put his finger to Blaine's lips to stop the nervous rambling.

"You aren't being forced. You want to do this, Blaine. You love how your music affects others, and more importantly, you love your fans. This isn't something that's bad. It's your job. Just like I'll be working at mine this summer, you'll be working at yours. This isn't the first long distance relationship in history, you know," Kurt finished, a smile playing at his lips. If this was all Blaine was nervous about, maybe this actually would be easier than he thought.

"I can't believe how lucky I am," Blaine said, his anxiety leaving him and his shoulders slumping in relief.

"Oh, please. If anyone's lucky, it's me. I have a famous musician for a boyfriend!" Kurt wished he could have swallowed the words back up as soon as they left his mouth. They hadn't discussed labels, and yet, here Kurt was, using words like _boyfriend. _

Blaine must have realized what he said as well, be cause his eyes grew wide, staring at Kurt and his lousy big mouth.

"Yes, you do," Blaine finally said, a laugh too loud for a coffee shop spilling out of his mouth. Blaine grabbed Kurt's hand again and kissed the back of it. "And I have the most adorable human being alive for a boyfriend, so I still win."

Kurt blushed, but rolled his eyes, a smile etched on his face. Boyfriend. Blaine was his boyfriend. Blaine was his gorgeous, talented, sweet-as-can-be boyfriend, and even though it may not be as conventional as he thought it would be, Kurt couldn't be more pleased with whatever force allowed them to be soul mates.

* * *

**A/N: Hehehe, look who's back! Sorry about the wait! Wow I'm terrible at this whole "keeping up with responsibilities" thing. BUT! HERE IS A CHAPTER! No promises, but I think I'm definitely going to be getting back on track with getting chapters out for you guys. I know how I want this story to end, so now it should be easier to keep writing. Thanks for sticking with me! Let's have some fun with these boys, what do you say?**


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